Tutorials by K S Jewellery Designs

Tutorials by K S Jewellery Designs
(Click on the pictures for more details)

Saturday, 24 May 2014

Textured silver

I love bright smooth shiny silver ... however ... I also love textured silver which changes the way the light catches the metal. When I started learning metalworking techniques, my husband produced an old set of stamps and punches that were handmade by his grandfather...



Using one of these stamps, I can create the random pattern of my Rustic Disc collection of jewellery...



And recently I have been using another of the stamps to create the light texture on my Mini Flower jewellery...


... and my Textured Drop pendant and earrings..



Thank you Grandpa for adding a new dimension to my jewellery making!

Saturday, 26 April 2014

Latest giveaway from K S Jewellery Designs

This morning I announced my latest giveaway on my Facebook page...


Would you like to win one of my Mini Flower Earrings?  Please read the terms and conditions below.
 
There are 4 variations to choose from:
1.      Mini Flower Stud Earrings (oxidised)
2.      Mini Flower Dangly Earrings (oxidised)
3.      Mini Flower Stud Earrings (shiny)
4.      Mini Flower Dangly Earrings (shiny)

Giveaway terms and conditions:
·         Please ‘Like’ my Facebook page (or be an existing ‘liker’)
·         Please comment below my Facebook post about my giveaway and tell me which is your favourite pair of earrings (‘share’ with your friends if you would be kind to but this is NOT part of the terms of this giveaway)
·         This giveaway is open to all my ‘likers’ – worldwide
·         I will put all entrants’ names into a hat and draw one winner on 9th May 2014 – check back then to see if you have been lucky to win your favourite

Wednesday, 23 April 2014

Playing about with wire - my favourite pastime

Recently I have been enjoying mixing wirework and metalwork techniques often referring back to some of my previous wirework designs.  Here is the outcome of playing with some wire and re-visiting the idea of wire blossoms.

http://ksjewellerydesigns.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3268839-Garnet-Sterling-Silver-Flower-Earrings-Mini-Blossoms.html
Garnet Mini Blossoms Sterling Silver Earrings

And here are some wire blossoms I made out of wirework back in 2010...

  




Saturday, 19 April 2014

Rings, rings and more rings...

I love wearing rings so it's probably not a surprise to hear that I love making rings too.  Over the last few months I have made lots of rings and thought I would share a few here on my blog...

STACKING RINGS
 
http://ksjewellerydesigns.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3110201-Kyanite-Sterling-Silver-Stacking-Gemstone-Ring-Trio-MADE-TO-ORDER.html
Kyanite gemstone ring between two gently textured rings

http://ksjewellerydesigns.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3225624-Amethyst-Sterling-Silver-Stacking-Gemstone-Ring-MADE-TO-ORDER.html
Amethyst cabochon within a textured circle

http://ksjewellerydesigns.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3198683-Opal-Triplet-Sterling-Silver-Stacking-Gemstone-Ring-MADE-TO-ORDER.html
Opal triplet cabochon within a textured circle (oxidised for detail) - so many colours in this cabochon!
 
 
SPINNER RINGS
 
 http://ksjewellerydesigns.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3130563-Sterling-Silver-Spinner-Ring-Bark-Texture-MADE-TO-ORDER.html
My first ever spinner ring (thanks to a very informative video by the wonderful Soham Harrison)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=624001387676632&set=a.199556913454417.49815.128806170529492&type=1&theater
Hugs and Kisses Ring - this was a custom order for a lovely friend who is helping me to stretch my metalworking skills and develop new designs
 
 
GEMSTONE RINGS

http://ksjewellerydesigns.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3259561-Labradorite-Sterling-Silver-Gemstone-Ring-MADE-TO-ORDER.html
Gorgeous labradorite - setting beads with corners is quite challenging but I was happy with the result

http://ksjewellerydesigns.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3261015-Kyanite-Sterling-Silver-Teardrop-Gemstone-Ring-MADE-TO-ORDER.html
I love kyanite and this teardrop bead is so beautiful

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Rustic Discs Collection

Over the past couple of weeks I have been creating jewellery based around the same theme.  I am naming this jewellery collection 'Rustic Discs'.

The first pieces I made with this theme were a pair of stud earrings that came about as an idea for a birthday present for my mother-in-law...


I cut out some little sterling silver discs with my trusty disc cutter and experimented with some textured stamps that my husband passed onto me that had belonged to his grandfather.  I decided I really liked the random texture created by one of the stamps and the marks it left on the metal.  I soldered on little misshaped balls (deliberately squashed and battered a bit) and earposts and put them in my tumbler.  This is when a little bit of magic seemed to happen because when the came out after an hour or so, the texture had taken on an extra sparkle (bottom photo).  I chose to oxidise them for my mother-in-law (top photo) and this gave the texture an interesting depth.

Following the earrings, I made a little Rustic Disc Pendant creating another texture on the larger disc...

 
A few days later, I created a necklace and another pendant.  I love the way the light catches on the texture and the doming of the discs seems to help the light to bounce around...



The necklace sold really quickly and I offered to make the customer a co-ordinating pair of earrings.  Like me, she doesn't really wear stud earrings (I have wonky holes!), so I offered to create a pair of earrings with earwires...



Another addition to my collection is a stacking ring which can be worn alone or alongside other rings...


I am currently pondering a Rustic Disc bracelet or bangle... watch this space!  In the meantime, if you would like to see further details about any of the jewellery in my Rustic Disc collection, you can find them in my website shop, my Etsy shop or my Folksy shop.

Friday, 7 March 2014

K S Jewellery Designs Giveaway - Leaf Drop Pendant

To celebrate having 600 likers of my Facebook page, I decided to hold another giveaway giving entrants a chance to win one of these three Leaf Drop Pendants.


Head over to my Facebook page here to enter before 31st March 2014:

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

Labradorite Teardrop Earrings

I made these earrings at the end of 2013 and decided I liked them too much to let them go, so kept them for myself.  However, following some requests about them, I have decided to list them in my online shops as a 'made to order' item.

http://ksjewellerydesigns.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3130168-Labradorite-Sterling-Silver-Teardrop-Earrings.html
Labradorite Sterling Silver Teardrop Earrings
 
Now listed:

Thursday, 6 February 2014

Calla Lily Sterling Silver Ring – giveaway winner’s ring


http://ksjewellerydesigns.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3122662-Calla-Lily-Sterling-Silver-Ring-MADE-TO-ORDER.html
Calla Lily Sterling Silver Wide Band Ring
 
Here is my giveaway winner's custom made ring... she chose calla lilies as her design theme as she told me they were her wedding flowers.  I really enjoyed the challenge of creating this ring. 

After researching photos of calla lilies, I started with a drawing then practiced making calla lilies out of paper before handcrafting one out of sterling silver sheet with a long sterling silver wire stem.


I then wound the calla lily around a wide band ring and soldered it in place.  It was a real test to my ability to control the heat of my flame as I have learnt the hard way in the past! 

 
I have decided to offer this style of ring as a ‘made to order’ item in my online shops.  I am also happy to make custom made rings to your own design theme – please feel free to contact me.